The Merrimack Athletics Complex is the home of the

Merrimack College Merrimack College is a Private university, private Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian university in North Andover, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1947 by the Order of St. Augustine with an initial goal to educate World War II veterans. It en ...

Warriors A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have been p ...

athletics teams. It has a basketball court and hockey arena. Hammel Court, located in the Volpe Athletic Center, is the home of the men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the volleyball team. Lawler Rink is the home of the Division I

Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey The Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Merrimack College. The Warriors are a member of Hockey East. They play at the 2,549-seat J. ...

team, which had won the 1978 Division II national title before transitioning to Division I and joining the Hockey East Conference. The athletic center is named for S. Peter Volpe, a member of the college's Board of Trustees and benefactor. His construction company was responsible for the building of the McQuaid Library on campus. His brother,

John Volpe John Anthony Volpe ( ; December 8, 1908November 11, 1994) was an American businessman, diplomat, and politician from Massachusetts. A son of Italian immigrants, he founded and owned a large construction firm. Politically, he was a Republican in ...

, was U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President

Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 36th vice president under P ...

. The hockey arena is named for

J. Thom Lawler J. Thom Lawler was an American ice hockey player and coach who won the inaugural NCAA Division II national championship in 1978 with Merrimack. Career A veteran of the Korean War, Lawler played hockey in Japan during his service. When returni ...

, former coach of the men's hockey team who died in 1978 at age 44, just after leading the team to their first national title. The basketball and volleyball court is named after former men's basketball head coach Bert Hammel.

Renovations

Over the summer and winter break of 2010, extensive renovation was done on the arena. The wooden bench seating was completely replaced with seatback chair seating and a student bleacher section was installed behind the visiting goalie's side. The "tin foil" insulation was removed from the roof as well. Seating capacity did decrease, however. A major expansion was completed in 2013 that included a second ice rink, a franchise food location, and a campus bookstore. A new scoreboard/jumbrotron was added prior to the 2022-23 season. Lawler_Arena_Gallant_Pavillion_2024

Extensive renovations were also completed in the fall of 2023. Funding was provided by Richard H’15 and Susanna Gallant.

Lawler Basketball Configuration

Merrimack Men's Basketball played their first ever game at Lawler Arena during the 2021-22 season when they hosted Lehigh. Since then the arena has become a two-sport venue with the ability to change between hockey and basketball like many NHL/NBA arenas. Lawler_Arena_Basketball_Configuration_2024

Lawler_Arena_Basketball_Configuration_2024

References

External links

Merrimack Athletics Complex

Lawler Rink

Hammel Court
Buildings and structures in North Andover, Massachusetts College basketball venues in Massachusetts College ice hockey venues in the United States Indoor arenas in Massachusetts Ice hockey venues in Massachusetts Merrimack College Sports in Essex County, Massachusetts {{Massachusetts-stadium-stub